The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-05
JOHN HOLMES FINE FAMILY.
Four Wives, Five Children and One
Mother-in-Law.

Mother-in-Law.
Regarding John Holmes, of Plainfield, N.
j., and his numerous wives, mentioned in
the MORNING NEWS few days ago, a dis
patch to the New York Times says:
Four women have appeared here since
Monday who claim to be wives of John Butte
Holmes, who was buried on that day. How
many more may appear seems not to be
known. Holmes lived out on farm about
two miles from here, in Washington valley,
and was surveyor doing business at 80
Nassau street, New York. He would have
been SO years old had he lived until next
Wednesday. He died last Thursday rather
suddenly, and although he had been i'll for a
few days DR. Fritts, the attending physi-
clan, refused to give death certificate Cor
oner Sutphin, of Somerville, was called in.
He deliberated day and concluded that
Holmes died of cerebral apoplexy. A GER
tificate was given TO that effect
The day Holmes died his young wife Katie
went to his office and removed his valuable
maps and papers. The same day also Mrs.
Browning came here from New York in re-
Spouse to telegram from her young son,
Charles Holmes. Mrs. Browning, who was
formerly Mary Sullivan, was at one time
Holmes wife, and the boy is her son and had
always lived with him. Katie and her
mother Mrs. Meadows, were greatly sur
prlsed when this person turned up at the
house. She gave them a few items i'll
Holmes history which opened their eyes.
Katie again went to New York on Saturday
and consulted her lawyer. On her return
she informed Mrs Browning that she must
leave the place. This she quietly did after
staying long enough to show that she would
do as she pleased.
Sunday brought another delegation, con-
sisting of Mrs. Williamson, another of
Holmes wives, and her three children.
They came to Join another child who was
already ON the place. On Monday the fu-
neral occurred, only the last wife, the child
rem and the neighbors being present. The
other wives refrainef from participating in
the services. In the afternoon the wives re-
turned to New York, leaving the children
on the place.
In the evening the circus commenced.
Katie came to town and made a complaint
before Justice of the Peace Charles Austin
that Hannah Williamson and her children
Grace Wright, Harry Wright, Walter
Wright and Wallace Wright-and Mary
Browning and her child, Charles Sullivan,
had threatened her with bodily harm and
with burning down the buildings on the
farm. Three constables proceeded to the
place and brought the five children to town.
They were taken before the Justice about 8
o'clock in the evening and with no one to
represent them a hearing was given.
Katie and her mother testified that one of
the women had threatened to horsewhip
Katie, and that the children had also taken
an inning in the threatening game. Charles
Sullivan, they said balricaded himself in
the library, and, after amusing himself by
tearing up valuable maps and papers, had
leveled pistol at the young stepmother's
head and warned that if she testified against
his mother in court he would use her head
for a target Various other antics were in
dulged in until Katie and her mother con-
Guided it was time to round up. The Wright
children were discharged by the Justice, but
Charles Sullivan was held in $50 to keep the
peace No one appearing to help him out
of the scrape, he reposed in the borough
lookup over night. The next day Mrs
Browning and Mrs. Williamson returned
from New York in response to kilograms
and were greatly incensed at the treatment
their children had received. As the consta-
bles were ignorant of the names OF the
women, and they declined to inform them,
the warrants against them remained unexe-
cuted. By the efforts of a, lawyer the Sui
livan boy was released. and also the eldest
Wright boy, who is an inbecile, and had
been committed to the charge of the Over
seer of the Poor. They all returned to New
York that evening
Yesterday Mrs. Anna M. Holmes, the
genuine first wife, appeared and, accompa-
MED by her counsel Arthur p Miller, pro-
ceeded to Somerville, the county seat, and
filed application before Surrogate Long for
letters Of administration on Holmes estate
Katie's lawyer, John H. Van Wrinkle, had
previously written the Surrogate that she
would apply for letters of administration in
q few days. The contest now as to the
property, therefore, lies between the first
wife, aged 81, and the last wife, age 49, How
many counter claimants between these two
ages that may come in is hard to tell. The
estate is placed by conservative people at
about $40, 600 although the claims may
estate consists of personal property.
Holmes married his first wife in ireland in
1888, when she was 16. In 1873, after living
apart from him for many years, she secured
a limited divorce. He was once q candidate
for Alderman in the First ward, in New
York, and in the campaign preceding the
election killed policeman who tried to ar
rest him. He was indicted for manslaugh-
ter, but the jury disagreed and the charge
was dropped. He was sentenced to fifteen
years for forging Ida Kerr's name to some
deeds. She was living with him at the time
as his wife He was pardoned when he
served five and half years by the efforts of
his half sister, Mss Wright. He rewarded
her afterward by seducing her and they
lived together as man and wife for many
years on his farm here -Four children We're
born to them. He was once sued for breach
of promise by Mary Chamberlin and a
Judgment of $1,000 was given against him.
But a fifth of this sum was paid when
Holmes talked sweet to her and she dropped
the matter and went off with him again.
Another of his wives was Mary Sullivan
He had known her from the time she was
baby. She was entrapped by his story of